Tag Archives: Bill King

Metro and the Mayor’s race

This went pretty much as one would expect. Delivering his fourth State of Mobility speech to Transportation Advocacy Group-Houston Chapter, Mayor Sylvester Turner echoed previous years, noting the region needs more options than solo driving if it is to handle … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2019, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Here comes another referendum no one will understand

Be careful what petitions you sign, that’s my advice. A political action committee is launching a petition drive Sunday aimed at limiting how much city contractors and vendors can contribute to municipal candidates, marking the start of a month-long effort … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2019 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Metro’s challenge

It’s all about BRT. Houston transit officials are betting on bus rapid transit as a big part of the region’s long-term plans, at times going as far as calling it the “wave of the future.” If seeing is believing, however, … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2019, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Off and running for Council

I confess I haven’t paid very much attention to the Houston city races so far. Part of that is the existential angst I feel at being forced to take seriously anything Bill King or Tony Buzbee says, and part of … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2019 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Turner officially announces his re-election bid

And he’s off. Mayor Sylvester Turner made it official Wednesday, launching his re-election campaign for Houston’s top elected office. Turner announced the news in a 96-second video that appeared on a revamped campaign website, where the mayor also posted notice … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2019 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

January 2019 finance reports: City of Houston

It’s January, and you know what happens in January: Campaign finance reports get posted. This is a city of Houston election year, so first order of business is to look at the city of Houston finance reports. I’ve put all … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2019 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Trying to make “pay for play” an issue

Good luck. With more than nine months to go until Houston’s municipal elections, Mayor Sylvester Turner’s first two opponents turned their attention this week to limiting political donors’ influence at City Hall. Both challengers, millionaire lawyer and Texas A&M University … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2019 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The 2019 elections

We haven’t forgotten that there are some big elections on tap for us this year, have we? Let’s go a quick rundown. May elections Election campaigns are already in progress in the cities that have May elections, which includes big … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2019 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Oh Lord, it’s Bill King again

siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh Bill King, a Houston businessman who narrowly lost his bid for mayor in 2015, filed paperwork with the city secretary Wednesday marking his likely intent to challenge Mayor Sylvester Turner again in 2019. King lost to Turner, then a … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2019 | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

July 2017 campaign finance reports – City of Houston

Let’s continue our survey of campaign finance reports with reports from the city of Houston. Name Raised Spent Loans On Hand ================================================ Turner 520,430 138,068 0 1,643,519 Stardig 59,470 36,402 0 102,289 Davis 5,500 13,231 0 147,050 Cohen 5,000 8,382 … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2017, Election 2019 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Bill King wants you to lower his property taxes

That’s not what he says in this op-ed, but it is the effect of what he’s arguing for, even if he’s not honest enough to come out and say it. Let’s start with the basic point that despite King’s disingenuous … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Some dude opposes pension reform

Presenting this in a slightly redacted form. [Some dude] has joined friend and ally Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, in rallying opposition to [Mayor Sylvester] Turner’s [pension reform] proposal among conservatives. He has attended at least three dozen forums on the … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

January 2017 campaign finance reports: Houston officeholders

Normally, at this time I would be scanning through Houston candidate campaign finance reports, to see where incumbents stand at the start of the season. Of course, barring near-term court action there is no season for Houston municipal officeholders this … Continue reading

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Year Two for Mayor Turner

Year One was busy, but a lot of what was done this year depends on what happens next year. Tasked last year with distinguishing himself from a crowded field of mayoral candidates, Sylvester Turner styled himself as a progressive with … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Council ratifies Turner’s pension plan

From the inbox: On a 16-1 vote, Houston City Council has endorsed Mayor Sylvester Turner’s historic package of pension reforms. The vote clears the way for the City to move forward in partnership with the pension systems to seek legislative … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Precinct analysis: Controller runoff

One last election to review: Dist Brown Frazer ====================== A 5,232 7,918 B 13,161 2,616 C 15,244 15,726 D 16,390 4,197 E 6,118 16,073 F 3,890 3,527 G 8,775 21,762 H 6,558 3,117 I 5,253 2,731 J 2,794 2,763 K … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Precinct analysis: At Large #1 runoff

Let’s move on to the At Large races. Here’s how the vote went in At Large #1: Dist Knox Provost ===================== A 8,758 4,042 B 2,518 13,058 C 14,925 12,240 D 3,692 16,877 E 16,406 4,735 F 4,040 2,871 G … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Is Bill King a sign of a trend?

Probably not. Doesn’t mean that other candidates like him can’t do well, however. Bill King’s near-upset over Sylvester Turner in the Houston mayoral runoff stoked the hopes of some Republicans that the party soon could break Democrats’ 34-year hold on … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Chron analysis of how Turner won

I suppose it’s a bit simplistic to say “he got more votes than the other guy”, but one way or the other that’s what happened. Sylvester Turner’s 24-year quest for the mayor’s office was realized by a narrow margin Saturday … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Precinct analysis: Mayoral runoff

Believe it or not, the County Clerk’s office put out draft canvass reports last night. As a result, I can do the thing that I do. Here’s a look at the Mayor’s runoff race: Dist King Turner ===================== A 9,491 … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Other runoff results

Here are the rest of the winners from yesterday: Controller: Chris Brown At Large #1: Mike Knox At Large #2: CM David Robinson At Large #4: Amanda Edwards At Large #5: CM Jack Christie District F: Steve Le District H: … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Turner defeats King

It was close, but he led throughout. State Rep. Sylvester Turner won the Houston mayor’s race with a down-to-the-wire finish to edge businessman Bill King Saturday. While Turner won the most ballots in early voting, King narrowed the gap quickly … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The ground game

Where we are with one day to go. The neck-and-neck Houston mayor’s race has become an all-out ground war in the final days before Saturday’s runoff election as Sylvester Turner and Bill King turn to local Democratic and Republican party … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

KHOU/KUHF poll: Tuner 38, King 38

We have a tie, according to the latest poll. Sylvester Turner and Bill King are now locked in a dead heat in the race for Houston mayor, according to the newly released KHOU-News 88.7 Poll of likely voters. The survey … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

2015 eight day runoff finance reports

Here are the reports, for all but one of the runoff candidates: Mayor Sylvester Turner Bill King Controller Chris Brown Bill Frazer At Large #1 Georgia Provost Mike Knox At Large #2 David Robinson Willie David At Large #4 Amanda … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Dueling runoff polls: King 48, Turner 43 (HRBC) – Turner 47, King 40 (internal)

From the inbox yesterday morning: The Houston Realty Business Coalition (HRBC) released a poll of 300 active voters today measuring support of Mayoral candidates in the December runoff election. “Bill King has built a broad base of support throughout the … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Runoff endorsement watch: Still for Turner

They clutch their pearls a bit over his (gasp!) negative advertising, but the Chron is still on board with Sylvester Turner. The long-time state representative – and three-time mayoral candidate – offers voters the best balance between policy expertise and … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A roundup of interviews with runoff candidates

For your convenience, as you try to decide whom to support in the runoffs: Mayor Sylvester Turner Bill King Controller Chris Brown Bill Frazer At Large #1 Georgia Provost – 2013 election, District D Mike Knox – 2013 election, District … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Our partisan Mayoral runoff

I’m shocked, shocked to find that there are partisan interests in the Mayoral runoff. Even though Houston elections officially are nonpartisan, the contest between Bill King and Sylvester Turner has evolved into a test of party might as voters prepare … Continue reading

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Endorsement watch: Bell for King

As the headline notes, this came as a surprise to many. Former Congressman Chris Bell publicly backed fiscal conservative Bill King in the Houston mayoral runoff Tuesday, a move that could bolster King’s efforts to make inroads with progressive voters. … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

A new HERO will be up to the next Mayor

As it should be, whether we like it or not. Houston Mayor Annise Parker, who championed the city’s ill-fated equal rights ordinance, HERO, said she no longer plans to try to revive it before leaving office at the end of … Continue reading

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Leave a new HERO to the next Mayor

I hate having to say this. Opponents of Houston’s repealed equal rights ordinance haved placed 300,000 calls and will release a new TV ad next week warning about a possible City Council revival of the controversial non-discrimination law. All that … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Precinct analysis: Districts with runoffs

District F was a three-way race, with challenger Steve Le leading first-term incumbent Richard Nguyen. Kendall Baker ran as a HERO hater, and finished third overall but did manage to come in first or second in nine precincts. I thought … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Endorsement watch: Costello for Turner

I’m glad to see this. Houston City Councilman Steve Costello endorsed Sylvester Turner for mayor Wednesday, dealing a potential financial blow to fellow conservative Bill King as he looks to expand his donor base in the runoff. An engineer who … Continue reading

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